MLB News

M's overcome 10-run deficit to beat Padres

By
AJ Cassavell and Greg JohnsMLB.com

SAN DIEGO -- In the span of two innings Thursday night, the Mariners turned a double-digit deficit into a historic comeback, rallying for an improbable 16-13 victory in the highest-scoring game ever at Petco Park.

The Padres jumped out to a 12-2 lead after five innings, but the Mariners used a five-run sixth and a nine-run seventh to notch the largest come-from-behind win in franchise history -- and the first 10-run comeback in the Majors since the A's overtook the Twins on July 20, 2009.

SAN DIEGO -- In the span of two innings Thursday night, the Mariners turned a double-digit deficit into a historic comeback, rallying for an improbable 16-13 victory in the highest-scoring game ever at Petco Park.

The Padres jumped out to a 12-2 lead after five innings, but the Mariners used a five-run sixth and a nine-run seventh to notch the largest come-from-behind win in franchise history -- and the first 10-run comeback in the Majors since the A's overtook the Twins on July 20, 2009.

The Mariners sent 13 men to the plate in the seventh and used seven consecutive two-out singles to overtake the Padres -- whose 10-run edge was the largest they've ever squandered. During that stretch, Stefen Romero drove home the tying run before Shawn O'Malley put the Mariners on top for good with a knock up the middle off San Diego reliever Matt Thornton.

"I don't think I've ever been a part of anything like that," said Mariners third baseman Kyle Seager, who had three hits and five RBIs. "That was incredible. The fight was pretty special." More >

The Padres did the bulk of their damage in a seven-run fifth inning, during which they chased Mariners lefty Wade Miley. With a 5-for-6 night, center fielder Jon Jay became just the fourth Padres hitter in history to record consecutive four-hit games -- joining Tony Gwynn, Reggie Sanders and Cameron Maybin. He also joined Gwynn as the only Padres with nine hits over a two-game span.

But it wasn't enough -- as Seattle seemingly reversed the happenings of July 2001, when the Indians overcame a 12-run deficit vs. Seattle in the biggest comeback in MLB history. The Mariners' previous record for largest comeback win was eight runs, when they rallied from a 9-1 deficit to the Angels for an 11-10 win in 1996.

"It's borderline inexplicable," said Padres manager Andy Green. "I've been around baseball a long time. You don't see teams come back from 10."

MOMENTS THAT MATTEREDBullpen woes: Padres starter Colin Rea was sharp over his first five frames, but struggled in the sixth before giving way to a Padres relief corps that fared much worse. The combination of Brad Hand, Ryan Buchter, Brandon Maurer and Thornton allowed 10 runs on nine hits over 1 2/3 frames.

"It just goes down to doing your job," said Buchter. "It started with me in that inning. I didn't do my job. It led into the next guy." More >

Said Maurer, who has now allowed 12 runs over his last seven appearances, spanning 5 1/3 frames: "It's tough. We let the guys down tonight."

Everybody hits … and we mean everybody: The Mariners strung together an amazing 14 runs on 12 hits, two walks and a hit batter in the sixth and seventh innings alone, with 10 batters reaching base. Seager delivered two of the big blows -- a two-run double in the sixth and two-run single in the seventh as he went 3-for-5 with five RBIs on the night.

"It was just hit after hit," said Mariners manager Scott Servais. "What can you say about our club? Guys don't quit. They just kept battling. You look up and this guy gets a hit, I can get a hit. And it just kept going and going and going."

Now, that's a first: Jay's leadoff double sparked a four-run first inning for the Padres, in which Matt Kemp, Derek Norris and Adam Rosales all had RBI singles. The early offensive eruption came one night after San Diego put a six-spot on the board out of the gate. That's 10 first-inning runs over the past two games for the Padres -- who scored only 14 times in the opening frame over the first two months.

"Colin battled, our hitters did great; we want to reward those guys," said Buchter. "We've got to go out there and grind it out."

The Dae-Ho show continues: Mariners rookie first baseman Dae-Ho Lee continues hitting homers at an impressive rate. The 33-year-old Korean slugger cut the Padres' lead to 12-7 with his three-run blast capping Seattle's five-run, sixth-inning rally that got the Mariners back into the game. Lee's eighth home run of the season came in his 81st at-bat and he became the first Seattle rookie with two pinch-hit homers in the same season in franchise history. The 250-pounder added a run-scoring single in the seventh-inning outburst to give him 20 RBIs on the year.

"Coming in with the pinch-hit like that, he's been incredible," said Seager. "The ball sounds different off his bat. It's been incredible to watch. Coming in with the pinch-hit role and not starting and getting three hits, that doesn't happen either."

QUOTABLE"We were just setting there and we kept getting hit after hit after hit. You never feel like we're out of a game with this offense. I wouldn't want to face 'em and I'm sure the other guys don't either. It was never-ending and fun to watch." -- Miley

SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDSRobinson Cano had a pair of hits for the Mariners and has now reached base safely in 31 consecutive games, the longest active streak in the Majors and tied for the longest stretch in his MLB career.

WHAT'S NEXTMariners:Taijuan Walker (2-5, 3.31 ERA) starts Friday's 5:10 p.m. PT series opener against the Rangers in Arlington. The 23-year-old is 0-5 with a 4.91 ERA in his last six starts and gave up three homers in 4 1/3 innings in his last outing against the Twins..

Padres:Drew Pomeranz is looking to put his first truly rough outing of the season behind him when he faces his former club, the Rockies, on Friday night at Petco Park. First pitch is slated for 7:40 p.m. PT. He allowed six runs over five innings in Arizona on Sunday, but owns a 1.02 ERA in three home starts this season.